John k



J. K. CLARK.

LUCK HINGE.

Patented May 15, 1888.

15m/@Mhe N. PETERSy Phmnithngmpher. washi nnnnnnn C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN K. CLARK, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.`

LOCK-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,650, dated Application tiled September 1, 1882.

of the building', so that the blind or shutter,

when opened, will not only be prevented from striking thewall, but will be locked in its open position. Several styles of such hinges are in use but those employed most extensively are constructed of two leaves, one leaf having an attached eye or socket-piece, and a horizontal plane or bearing-shoulder around the upper edge of the eye, which terminates at each end in an inclined plane, the other leaf having an attached pin or pintle, around the upper end of which is a horizontal plane or bearing in the form of a projecting flange which terminates at each end in similar inclined planes, Aall in such manner that when the hinge is in position andthe blind Vor shutter opened it Will turn or move in a horizontal plane until the inclined planes or bearings are coincident, when the blind or shutter will suddenly descend by gravity until the inclined bearings engage, thereby limiting the further turning of the blind or shutter and` holding it in such open position. These inclined planes or bearingshavebeen found objectonable,in that sudden gusts of wind catch the blind cr shutter and close it, the inclines affording this being' done easily by reason of one freely riding up the other. Further than this, the inclined planes or other devices which form the back stop to the blind or shutter-that is, the stop which prevents the latter striking the wall of the building-have always been located beneath the horizontal planes or bearings, and hence when the blind or shutter is suddenly thrown open it rst descends, and then the back stops of the hinge engage each other, which results in such violent concussion as to frequently fracture the hinges, and thereby render them useless.

May 15, lese.

(Modehi gusts of wind without the employment of pivoted locking-latches and similarextraneous devices. These objects I accomplish by the construction of gravitylocking-hiugeillustrat- A ed inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1- represents a perspective view of a hinge made in accordance with my invention, the parts being in the position they occupy when the blind or shutter is closed; Fig. 2, a detached perspective view, showing the two parts ofthe hinge disconnected; Fig. 3, a perspective view, locking from the rear side of that leaf which carries the pin or pintle; Fig.

4, an edge view of Fig. 3. to clearly show the locking-shoulder and back stop ou the pin or pintle part of the hinge; and Fig. 5, a top view of the hinge in the position it occupies when the blind is in an open position.

The hinge is composed of: but two pieces-- that `is, two leaves which are cast integral with their ccncomitants.

The male part of the hinge is composed cfa leaf, 1, provided with a lateral projecting brace-arm, 2, carrying thc cylindrical pin or pintle 3, at the upper end of which, where it joins the brace-arm, is lformed Va horizontal plane or bearing, 4, 'in the form of a lateral lflange, 5, which terminates at one end in a vertical abutment, 6, which constitutes one of the back stops, and at the other end in a vertical shoulder, 7, which constitutes one ofthe locking-shoulders.

The female part ofthe hinge is composed of aleaf, S, `formed with a lateral extension in the f'orm ofthe eye or socket-piece 9, which is provided at its upper edge with a horizontal plane or bearing, l0, the latter terminating at its outer end in a vertical shoulder, 11, at the base of which is the projecting rest, 12, which forms a right-angled recess. The leaf S is formed in its outer face with an upright lateral l abutment, 13, which projects above thehorizontal plane or bearing and constitutes the other back stop.

Itis essential for the practical use of the hinge that the vertical lockingshoulders Z and 11 should not exceed one-eighth of an inch in length, or that,when engaged, such should be the extent of their engagement, as otherwise considerable power would be essential to lift the blind or shutter to disengage such shoulders when it became desirable to close the blind; and it is -further essential that the opposing faces ot' the locking-shoulders should stand in a plane parallel, or substantially so, with a right line taken longitudinally through the pin or pintle of the hinge, in order that there will be a firm, square lock or bearing between theshoulders when the hinge is opened, as otherwise the action of sudden gusts of wind will throw the blind closed by causing the ordinary incline to slide up the other in`- eline, as hereinbefore stated. l

Another essential feature in the structure of my improved hinge is the location and arrangement ofthe back stop or abutment, 13, so as to project or extend above the plane of the horizontal bearing 10 on the eye or socketpiece, the object of which, as before stated, is to cause the back stops to engage or abut bel fore the moved part of the hinge begins to descend bygravity to'lock the hinge in an open position. This arrangement of back stop subserves the function of directing the immediate engagement or interlocking of the lockingshoulders, while it relieves the concussion resulting in that form ot' hinge where the moved part of the hinge descends by gravity to engage the back stops.

The operation of the hinge will be obvious from the foregoing; but in explanation it may be stated that in opening the blind the horizontal plane or bearing 4 on the male part of the hin ge moves around on the horizontal plane or bearing 10 on the female part until thevertical abutment or back stop, 6, on the male part comes against the vertical abutment or stop 13 on the female part, which stops serve to receive the shock incident to throwing the blind suddenly open. At this moment, but after the back-stops have come in contact, the blind, with the male part of the hinge, descends slightly and causes the shoulder 7 on the male part to interlock or engage the shoulder l2 on the female pa-rt,'thereby locking the hinge in its open position and holding the blind from the wall of the building.

What I claim isl. In a gravity lock-hinge of the character described, wherein the two leaves areprovided with horizontal planes or bearings and interlocking shoulders, the back stop or abutment, 13, extending upward above the plane of the horizontal bearing 10 to receive the impact of the moved part l of the hinge `and to direct the engagement of the locking-shoulders, substantially as described.

2. In agravty lock-hinge consisting ot' two parts only, the combination of one leaf, having the pin or piutle, the horizontal bearing around the same, and the vertical back stop and locki ing-shoulder, at the ends thereof, with the other leaf, having` an eye or socket-piece, a horizontal bearing, and the locking-shoulder and back stop at the ends thereof, the latter back stop extending above the plane of the horizontal bearing to receive the impact ot' the moved part ofthe hinge and direct the env gagement of the loclingshoulders, substan tially as described.

1n testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN K. CLARK.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. FRANKE, HENRY R. CLARK. 

